Decent lipgloss a career essential

If women do not reach for the lipstick before work they are likely to be
viewed as unprofessional by company directors, claims research released
yesterday.

Directors in the North are the least politically correct, with 68 per cent
of them believing that women who wear make-up look more professional than those
who do not.

Just under half of the directors in the South favour female staff wearing
make up.

The Fifth Annual Aziz Management Communications Index also shows that 17 per
cent of directors claim that women who do not wear make-up look like they
"cannot be bothered to make an effort", and 11 per cent are more
likely to employ women who have taken time over their mascara and lipgloss.

Larger companies are more prejudiced against non-make-up wearing women than
smaller ones, according to the survey of 100 company directors.

Nearly two-thirds of directors in firms with a turnover of more than £30m
prefer women in make-up.

Khalid Aziz, chairman of communications consultancy Aziz Corporation, said,
"Our survey might not be politically correct, but it demonstrates the
importance of appearance. While wearing make-up does not mean you are better at
your job than someone who does not, looking well-groomed always conveys
professionalism."